We were lucky to catch up with Parker Orms recently and have shared our conversation below.

Parker, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

We pride ourselves in being the intersection of tradition and innovation, being third generation hat shapers gives us the history and knowledge to be able to change the standard. The hat industry is a well gate-kept craft where it can be tricky to get a leg in and where tradition runs deep. There are certain ways to shape hats, that have always been the way to shape hats and we like to push that limit to see what else is possible.

We are known for inventing new crown shapes and moulding logos, animals and anything else creative people come up with into the crowns of the hats. As a company, we know that hats are sustainable, but there are always times when hats are trending/the thing to get. By breaking away from the standard, not mass producing and customizing each hat, we really separate ourselves and our offerings from a lot of our competition.

Parker, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a third generation hat creaser/designer/shaper. My team and I create custom cowboy hats, fedoras and we have our own signature styles too, of course!

My dad and grandpa both shaped hats, and after my career in football, I decided it was the route I wanted to take too.

I am most proud of creating a fun company that people are attracted to and want to come experience. My staff and I try to create a very approachable experience for people who might not have a hat yet or know nothing about them. We like to walk people through the steps and the options and help them create a memory and an experience, and subsequently, they also get a cool hat.

We have found that more than just hats, being in our shop or attending one of our events makes a lasting memory for people, not only is it a memory for that day, but can be a lasting piece that grows and evolves with them.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

consistency, consistency, consistency! Most days I don’t do anything else until I have made and posted my reel for the day. I find that having one piece of new content a day keeps people engaged and interested. There is not a day I am not re-posting customers stories, posting my own content and engaging online. It’s so important to keep things fresh and interesting to build a following.

I also think it’s important to be genuine, not promote things I don’t believe in or use myself and not try to filter the fake stuff either, we are all human and thats the part that makes social media cool.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

We don’t say no, usually. There are a lot of events that we have attended where we might not make many sales, but we are out there getting brand exposure, talking to people, making connections and enjoying the event anyways! There are so many small, random pop ups all over the state that others may have said no to, but we felt like it was important to be out there hustling everyday, no matter what!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hatsbyparkerthomas.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hatsbyparkerthomas
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatsbyparkerthomas/posts/?feedView=all
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HatsXParkerThomas
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hats-by-parker-thomas-denver

Image Credits

https://www.instagram.com/augustus.exposures/?hl=en
https://www.purelydrea.com/
https://aliciarinka.com/